MalaysiaGIS.com

Source: The Sun (page 8)

Malaysia Centre for Remote Sensing (Macres) director Nik Nasruddin Mahmood said satellite technology is taking the leading role in high-tech rice production in Sawah Sempadan near Tanjung Karang, Selangor.

He said the use of remote sensing (a component of satellite technology) in agriculture is one of the areas in which space technology can be applied in Malaysia.

The pilot project involving a 2,300ha rice field which started last year is meant to double rice production from an average of five tonnes a hectare a year to 10 tonnes.

"This can be possible with satellite technology in taking a leading role in the agricultural sector, like what has been practised in the United States and Japan," Nik Nasruddin said.

The centre's head of Image Processing and Applications Division, Laili Nordin, said that the new approach is in line with the Third Agricultural Policy (NAP3).

Laili said NAP3 (1998-2010) focuses on increasing productivity and competitiveness by widening linkages with other sectors into new frontier areas in a sustainable production manner.

Success in the Tanjung Karang project is vital as the approach will later be applied in the eight major rice production areas nationwide.

"If the national average of rice production is increased from four tonnes a hectare to 5.5 tonnes 9 (or 37.5%), the country will be able to meet the local demand."

There are about 200,000ha of padi fields in Malaysia, but these only produce 65% of local demand."

"Apart from using the satellite, precision farming also combines the use of sensors and maps to replace the jobs that our grandfathers used to do with a sharp eye, a pinch of soil between his fingers and good memory," Laili said.

"The precision farming system consists of satellite navigation system, computer geographical system, variable implement technology, automatic yield recording system, advance agronomic knowledge and local farm records, to name a few.

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"Its success relies on the integration of all different elements (which is played by different agencies) into a single system that can be translated into farm-level management."

Laili said Macres is responsible for carrying out yield mapping, remote sensing, geographical information system (GIS) and recommending treatment in particular locations.

The image taken from the satellite is able to detect irregularities in the farm, such as disease, for quick remedial action.

"With satellite technology, the problems (such as disease and water level) can be identified quickly so that other components in the system, like the sprayer, can automatically act to meet the crop needs.

"If the water level is low, that will be reflected in the satellite image as well, and thus the respective component will automatically adjust the water level," he said.

Similiarly, the need for fertilisers or pesticides in certain parameters can be identified through information sent by the satellite.

"This will save production costs as only the affected areas will be tackled, not the whole farm," he said.

This approach will not cause farmers any additional cost, as the rice production itself is subsidised by the government.

"Besides, the machinery and infrastructure are readily available," Laili said.

He said precision farming will also be much more environmentally friendly as resources such as fertiliser, herbicide and insecticide will be applied based on the requirements as detected by the satellite.

"Waste will be reduced and this leads to higher profit, which will directly benefit the farmers."

The result of precision farming can only be seen next year.

"If rice production sector succeeds, then the precision farming system will be introduced to the oil palm plantation," he said.

According to Nik Nasruddin, remote sensing technology can also be used to map environmental sensitive area, forests and predict landslide or floods.

Access to satellite images, he said, will be much easier from next year, after the Macres' Earth Station in Temerloh, Pahang is operational.